DVCPROHD -> RAW HD TRANSCODING!?

I shot my stuff at DVCPROHD 1080i60 on the new HVX200 (love this camera).
My client is on an old AVID workstation that won't read the DVCPROHD Codec.
I don't have a high-end video card nor do I have a HDCAM deck.

My thought was to transcode these to a more generic codec for them to read and be able to use.
But I'm not sure what option is best.
Under Quicktime I choose File -> Export -> and see that "None" might be the best option?

I realize all I'm doing is making these files 10 times bigger - but the only other solution I can think of is to send a hard drive out to a post facility for transfer to HDCAM.

Can anyone offer suggestions here - I'm in San Diego.

THANKS!!!
-J

avid offers a free download of their meridian codec. not sure if it writes, it may only read...

HDCAM? The footage from the HVX is DVCPRO HD...so you would need a DVCPRO HD deck. And that you can rent and output to WITHOUT A CAPTURE CARD. It accepts a firewire signal.

What are your plans for this footage? Editing on the older meridian...then what? How will you be onlining? How will you relink to the high def footage?

FCP to Avid is tricky...especially with HD footage when the Meridian isn't built for HD.

The client wants an HDCAM dub of my DVCPROHD footage. Pretty simple stuff. So a DVCPROHD deck won't help me. Nor will a DVCPROHD master tape help them.

Offering them a codec download is not an option either. I am not handeling the editing...and I'm sure they are requesting an HDCAM master dub for the very reasons you all point out...it's tricky at best.

I'm looking for specific advice on TRANSCODING the DVCPRO HD clips to RAWHD 1080i60 [OR] a referral to a dub facility in LA that can accept my hard drive and output to HDCAM.

Thanks.

-J

The codec suggestion is for you to render out the footage as meridian files that they can import into the AVID. Probably a massive render but....

If they must have the footage on HDCAM because they have an HDCAM deck hooked up to their AVID then your options are straight forward- Dub DVCPRO HD to HDCAM. If you shot to tape then you need a deck,. If you shot to Firestore or something like that you need some sort of DVCPRO HD playback system. Not simple but still straightforward.
If they want HDCAM because there is a producer somewhere in the mix that only knows that particular acronym you might have some luck trying to send them files that they can import.

Even if you convert your files to HD 4:2:2/RAWHD 1080i60, How are they going to use those in the AVID? You will still have to get them dubbed to HDCAM.

All this depends on what they are planning for the workflow.
Is this a one time delivery that they plan on using in the online?
Can you give them low rez down converts (AVID meridian 10:1) that they can use to offline and then get your tapes for the online?
Are they planning an HD finish?

I can't refer any places to you, but your other request for advice is a little open ended knowing what we know about your predicament. More info please.

ak

Thanks Andrew.

I did shoot to P2 format.
My thought of transcoding to a more "open" HD codec was intended to circumvent the AVID issues with the DVCPROHD codec. Would a HD 4:2:2/RAWHD 1080i60 file on DVD-R or hard drive not simply be a drag and drop scenario for an AVID editor? As opposed to needing to download a codec to read the Panasonic DVCPROHD files...

Yes. Ideally a one-time delivery for on-line. (NBC)
Yes they will certainly finish in HD.
Everything else they shoot is Sony HD 750 or 900's.

I guess I need to call the producer and ask to speak to the engineer.
THANKS!

AVID would have to do a recompress to it's own proprietary codec (Meridian maybe). So there would be no drag and drop for the editor unless you were able to get it into the AVID codec. You'll need to find out what kind of AVID they're using before you go down that road. Version number and hardware (Meridian or Adrenaline/Nitris). It might be Adrenaline or Nitris if they're finishing it in the AVID in HD. Or they're offlining in an older AVID and onlining it on something else. This last option maybe why they are asking for a transfer to HDCAM. All their other footage is that way and they have a workflow planned that will be complicated by non-HDCAM material.
If your material is still on P2 cards you could find someone with the P2 player that is hooked up via HD/SDI to an HDCAM deck.
The HD dub is the simple, probably expensive, way to do it without asking any more questions.
Giving them files that they can use would require knowing their AVID specs and their intended workflow.

ak

String out your footage and take the project and drives to either Plastercity Post, The Dr Group, West Post Digital, Outpost Digital, FilmLook...and they will output to HDCAM for you.

Thanks Andrew/Shane.

Andrew - Avid requires a proprietary Meridian codec. Got it. And they wonder why FCP is eating up market share!

Shane - Thanks for the referrals!

-Joshua

FWIW the Avid Meridien codec does not support HD, only SD resolutions.

Philip

It's not proprietary in the sense that no one else can use it. You can download it and encode stuff into Meridian that would be a "fast import" into an AVID system. AfterEffects people do this all the time, works great in an AVID/AE environment.
AVID works on a model where everything you want to use in a timeline has to be turned into meridian media. It's a more rigid media management system that forces you into some corners but there are some tricks you can do with the AVID media tool that would leave the FCP media manager in the dust. This is not the reason FCP is eating their market share.

Again you can do as Shane says, dump to HDCAM, or spend a few days trying to eke out of them their intended workflow and how you could get your footage to them cheaply and with little rendering or compression generations. FAST, CHEAP, or GOOD, pick two. Shanes is the best way, and the way I would go if it's not prohibitively expensive.

ak

The Meridien Codec doesn't support anything larger than 720x486 ... Best you can do for a client with an old Meridien is down convert the HD footage to 720x486 letterboxed so they can an offline.

Thanks Andrew / Doug,

Shanes solution was the first to come to my mind too.

FYI - Does AVID support direct importing and animating of vector images?
This and network/distributive rendering seem to be the last straws for FCP's eventual take-over.
(OK there are a bunch of other things but you get the point...)

-J